1. Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to content personalization for digital content. More specifically, one embodiment of the invention relates to an apparatus and method for content replacement in order to personalize digital content.
2. General Background
Television is used to deliver content, such as entertainment and educational programs to viewers. Service providers, such as television stations and networks, broadcast entertainment and information programming via a communications medium, such as a television network or cable system, from the head-end of a communication system to a client or individual user at the receiving end of the system. Traditionally, conventional television broadcasts are typically single programs, movies, or other content that does not provide the opportunity for personalization to a viewer.
In contrast, other types of content are available that may be personalized. For example, some companies may personalize children's books, such as bedtime stories, with a child's name and likeness. The words of the story's and also the likeness of the characters (e.g., gender and ethnicity), may be personalized such that it appears that a particular child has been “written in” to the book as a character.
This sort of personalization is also available in various computer programs in which a user may enter his or her name, age, gender, and ethnicity such that a program for a game or a story will be personalized to the particular user.
Personalization has also occurred for various types of musical compact disks (CDs). For example, a CD full of children's songs may be purchased for a child that has been personalized with a particular child's name such that the child's name is placed in the various songs of the CD.
With the growth of digital television transmitted over satellite, cable, as well as terrestrial networks, there has been a great increase in different channel watching opportunities for viewers. One way in which a service provider network may distinguish itself is by providing personalized content.
Unfortunately, conventional digital video content, such as MPEG video takes the form of a single program, movie, or other content without the opportunity for a service provider to modify the viewing experience for a user by selecting personalized content. Various mechanisms have been proposed for providing personalized content, but typically such proposals have been expensive to implement, take up large amounts of bandwidth, and may require expensive specialized equipment.